Auto wipers and Auto headlights ohh yeah

The Advanced Technology Package practically drives itself and parks itself. Why not compliment it by wiping itself and illuminating itself. As some of you already know. Theres a module made by Hydreon called Rain Tracker. I read the features and specs. It's a cool little device so I ordered it. It's only $79.99 + shipping. It's been sitting in my room for a week. Then yesterday, totally unexpected, it started raining. Raining season doesn't start at least another month. I was disappointed b/c I didn't install it. So last night I torn my steering colum apart and got to work. The installation is easy. Here's the basic steps

Mount the sensor on the windshield. It has to be mounted within the wiper swiping area. For ATP owners, remember to mount it in a place that doesnt interfere with the LKA camera.

Run the cable to the driver under dash area. Make sure you route the cable over the side curtain airbag so it doesn't interfere with the airbag.

disassemble the dash panel where the mirror switch is and the steering column cover to expose the necessary wires.

pre-wire the module so that the wires can route to necessary factory harness.

Mount the module and make the necessary connections. Wire colors and location below.

Mount the switches

Test the system by spraying the sensor with Windex or something similar.

Re-assemble the dash and steering column

The wire colors and location for 2010 Prius is as followed

Wiper wires - larger white plug on the right side of the steering column
Power (IGN ON) - Brown 16AWG +12V
slow - Red 16AWG (must cut) +12V
Fast - White 16AWG +12V

Headlight/Parking light
blue 24AWG -12V left side of left plug of left side of steering column. This wire, when grounded, turns on both head lights and parking lights.

I have not tested the auto wiper in real rain yet because it hasn't rained since I installed it. I did test the auto headlights. It reacts pretty fast. It turns on when stopped in an underpass. It turns off a few seconds after leaving the underpass. It turns off right away after powering off the car. When it rains again, I'll see if it turns on the headlights too when the wipers are activated. I think it will because the auto headlight port can also be wired to close the windows.

My next dilemma is to decide if I want to spend $110 for the factory auto headlight stalk or use a cheap $5 rocker switch. I've seen the auto wiper stalk on a Lexus HS250h. They replaced the intermittent wiper setting with auto. All the positions are the same. There's no extra click for auto like the headlights.

Edit: For detailed installation read post 14 at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ers-auto-headlights-ohh-yeah.html#post1236497

 

We had some rain today. When I pulled out of the garage it was light sprinkling. The wipers activated within 3 seconds of leaving the garage. I was impressed. When it wiped for the first time, it wasn't constant on. It was intermittent. The delay between each wipe is between 2 seconds and up depending on the severity of the rain. The control module adjusts the delay between each wipe automatically. It takes moderate rain to get the wipers to wipe continuously. There were times when the rain completely covered the windshield for a few seconds before the wipers activated. When activating the wipers manually, it double wipes.

The headlights/parking lights were on the whole time the wipers were activated even during intermittent delays. I don't know if this is due to heavy overcast or because of the wipers being activated. I suspect that it's the wipers being on.

For those have the DEI 545T night light installed, you can also have the wipers activate your headlights. If you had it professionally installed, and the wipers are not activating your headlights, you should go back and have them install it.

Overall I am very satisfied with Rain Tracker. Next time it rains, I'll take some videos.

 

No, I have so many reasons not to and here's why.
1 - I never drive with my windows down. It keeps the dust and pollens out.
2 - In order for auto windows close when rain is detected to work properly you would need 2 DEI 530T One for front windows, one for rear windows.
3 - The headlight output from Rain Tracker goes to the 530T's armed input. Rain Tracker would roll the windows up whenever it gets dark.
4 - It would only roll the windows up while ignition is on (when installed properly)
5 - The Prius already has auto windows up and down for all windows. Adding 2 530T just for the rain to close the windows is not worth the money and effort. It defeats the factory auto up and down.
6 - Rain Tracker's power is switched on with ignition. If you want Rain Tracker to roll up the windows while you're away, you have to power it directly to the battery. If you do, it would activate the wipers when it senses rain even when you're away from your vehicle.
7 - In order for Rain Tracker to roll up the windows while you're away you'd need 2 Rain Trackers and 2 DEI 530T. 1 Rain Tracker for the wipers and headlights, and another Rain Tracker and 2 530Ts just for the windows.
8 - The Prius's rear windows are variable speed. It slows down when it's near the top and bottom of the track. This indicates that the Prius's rear windows have some type of position sensor. adding 530T to the rear windows, will cause the position sensors to misaligned.
9 - If you dont use 530T to roll up the windows the Rain Tracker will keep feeding power to the windows and burn out the window motor.
10 - having the Rain tracker turn on the headlights is more useful than having it roll up the windows automatically.

 

You're forgetting that when it rains it's overcast. There is no sun. It's not that bright. When you turn on the lights during overcast condition, you can easily see the instrument panel. Even when it's dimmed.

The Rain Tracker will not turn on the lights when you activate the wipers manually. It will only turn on the lights when it detects rain and activate the wipers.

The light sensor is very sensitive. It will sense overcast and turns on the lights. Driving through an overpass will also turn on the lights. Driving away from the sun during early sunset will also turn on the lights. You can install an on/off switch for the wipers and the lights so that you can have the option to turn them off. I have mine installed behind the dimmer panel. The relay clicking bothers me so I will relocate the module to somewhere further away.

 

I got this from a PM and I think anyone that are interested should know.

The Rain Tracker has both auto wiper and auto headlights. They work independently only that when the auto wiper is activated, it also turns on the headlights. However, it will not turn on the headlights if you manually activate the wipers using the factory stalk. The kit includes 1 switch to deactivate the auto wipers. If you choose to install the auto headlights, you have to provide the second switch to deactivate the auto headlight feature.

As far as installation cost, it could cost anywhere from $60 to 200 for auto wiper only to $80 to 250 for both auto wipers and headlights. It all depends on the vehicle. For Prius, it should not cost more than $150 to get both features installed. If I were to charge someone to install it on a Prius of any generation, I'd charge $80 + switches for both features. It should not take more than 1 hour to install.

 

That's the most perfect installation/information guide ever on a Gen III Prius on the internet. You will not find another guide as detailed as that.

During the past week of Southern California down pour, my auto wiper activated the fast wipe for the first time. I was traveling on a freeway at 50-60MPH at night.

The rain tacker is not perfect but it works fully automatic 95% of the time. The other 5%, like ircama said, you're inclined to activate the slow speed when it's in intermittent or the fast speed when it's in the slow speed manually. I on the other hand never do. I just let it run by itself. For me, it never get to a point where I have to activate the wiper myself. It always wipes before I even think of reaching for the stalk.

It's ALOT better than some system where the auto wiper only activates the intermittent wiping. You'd still have to adjust the intermittent speed and you'd have to activate the continuous slow or fast manually if the rain gets too heavy. The Rain Tracker automatically adjust the intermittent speed from a single wipe to 2 seconds per wipe to continuous slow to continuous fast. As far as sensitivity goes, I have no complaints. It even activates the wipers when there's morning condensation on the windshield until it clears up. I have never had an incident where the wiper came on for no reason. It also comes with an on off switch for you to turn the system on or off.

I do have a minor peeve regarding the auto headlight though. It's too sensitive. It turns on the headlight about an hour before the sun sets. Sometimes it turns on when I'm driving away from the sun. Again there's an off switch for that too.

 

I assume that you installed it on the same vehicle model as mine: Prius 2010.
Yes, Mine's 2010 Gen III Prius bought in July Of 2010, manufacturing date of June of 2010, fresh off the boat (no offense to Asian people.)

Can you confirm that you are using the RT50A Rain Tracker?
Yes It's RT50A

Did you install the sensor in the same position as in my PDF file?
No, I had to install it on the right side of the rear view mirror wire harness cover below the dot matrix. This is to clear the LKA camera view.

In relation to the wipers sensibility, did you perform some tuning to the internal pot?
No, It was at factory setting. If I had to re-do it, I'd turn up the sensitivity a tiny bit.

Do you have some additional hint to increase the sensibility curve?
No, I installed it at factory setting so I didn't even mess with the settings.

The adhesive on the sensor mounting plate is very strong and it's made for single use. The sensor snaps on the mounting plate. If I try to pry off the sensor from mounting plate I could damage the sensor. If I try to pry off the mounting plate, I risk damaging the windshield or the mounting adhesive or both.